sweet as candy to butterflies (Candytuft)

Member Name: mumsymary

Product:	Candytuft
Date:	14/04/05 (1569 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lots of nectar

Disadvantages: none

Candytuff, iberis


As sweet as candy.
Pink Candytuff is a flower that I shall have in my garden as it produces lots of nectar and butterflies will feed from the sweet flowers.

Candy tuff is a pink cream coloured flower also available in White.
There are lots of small flower heads these are displayed growing in a circular cluster (pin cushion like) on a tall stalk. Grows to about 12 inches tall.

There are usually a lot of tiny brown seeds in a packet and are quite cheap to buy I notice Thompson and Morgan seeds 200 in a pkt for £1.59.

I usually sow mine in a seed tray in the greenhouse they need to be sown about 1/8 inch deep. They can also be sown straight into the garden flowering position.
Candytuff likes a well cultivated soil and needs watering when the soil is dry
These flowers will self-seed in a garden

When all risk of frost is past they can be planted out about 6 inches/15cm apart


Candytuff is a perennial the seeds need to be sown in late summer to autumn to flower in the summer the next year. I missed sowing min so maybe I shall try sowing some early spring if I do this I expect they will flower late summer. Alternatively I could buy plants from the garden centre or mail order company.
The pink one is generally grown as an annual and the white as perennial it is an evergreen perennial so in sheltered spots will last for several years. The white one developing a little bush like plant. Seems to need little attention.

Thanks for reading, happy gardening Mary

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